Sandeep adds, “Out of the blue, I received a call from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) requesting that I update my immigration status. Complying with their request, I promptly visited their office, only to be informed that my documents, including my acceptance letter, were deemed fraudulent. Shockingly, I was informed that charges of misrepresentation were going to be filed against me by the Canadian authorities”.
Manjit Singh GK, President JAGO party and former President Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee speaks on the plight of Indian students in Canada.
Brijesh Mishra had charged students like Sandeep thousands of dollars to cover the fees related to handling college and visa applications and tuition fees. Although a case was filed against him and his agency's license was revoked, he is currently on the run and is considered missing.
Investigations have revealed that Mishra's firm had provided fraudulent offer letters and imposed charges ranging from Rs 14 lakh to Rs 16 lakh on each student who applied for a study visa to Canada. Most of these students arrived in Canada between 2017 and 2019, but the scam only surfaced in March this year when the students applied for permanent residency in Canada. During the investigation, the Canadian Border Services Agency discovered that the offer letters of admission to a Canadian higher education institution, which was essential for obtaining study permits in Canada, were indeed counterfeit.
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Subsequently, the CBSA proceeded to issue deportation letters to the Indian students who had applied for permanent residency. In response, the affected students started protesting in front of the CBSA headquarters, arguing that they had lawfully completed their studies, obtained valid work permits, and should not face deportation. The students contended that they were victims of the Canada migration scam orchestrated by fraudulent agents, which had gone undetected in Canada for several years. The students' plea gained momentum with support from both the Indian government and public opinion.
Under mounting pressure, the Canadian government decided to grant a temporary reprieve to the students by rescinding the deportation orders. Canadian Immigration Minister Sean Fraser recently stated that genuine students who fell prey to the Canada migration scam would be permitted to remain in Canada after the investigations. The Indian government welcomed this move as a positive step towards addressing the issue. However, our investigation reveals that multiple agents and agencies have deceived numerous other students, and these culprits are evading punishment by law enforcement agencies in India. Sandeep reveals that both the Canadian and Indian governments should share the blame for the dire plight of the students.
“The Indian police failed to register an FIR despite our best efforts. I then sought assistance from the NRI department, which led to the police visiting my residence. However, even after presenting them with substantial evidence, including a money trail and forged documentation, the case failed to progress any further. Although they glanced at the complaint, they did not register my FIR. It was only recently when the situation worsened that they finally filed an FIR, acknowledging the common complaints,” Sandeep adds.
Mail allegedly sent by a fake agent to Jagjeet Kaur Budwal | Courtesy: Jagjeet Kaur Budwal
Jagjeet explains, "We were assured that once we paid all the required fees, we would gain access to our application account. However, the agent withheld the login details, citing privacy concerns. He consistently claimed that my application was in progress, but in reality, it did not even exist in the system. He followed a meticulously planned process, showcasing progress through invitations and regular documentation updates, including medical examinations, which he shared as PDF files."
We attempted to reach out to Sirsendu, the agent from Emigration 24 who allegedly deceived Jagjeet, for a response regarding the allegations against him. However, despite our efforts, Sirsendu declined to engage in a conversation and refused to provide a statement on the subject.
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Speaking to The Probe, Puneet Singh Chandhok, the President of the Indian World Forum, expressed his concerns regarding a prevalent cartel deceiving numerous Indian students and residents who aspire to study, work and acquire permanent residency in Canada. Chandhok contends that this issue extends beyond the actions of Brijesh Mishra alone, suggesting the involvement of a more extensive network of individuals. He further questions the role of certain officials from the Canadian government, stating, "The Canada migration scam could not have taken place without their active participation."
Chandhok raises concerns about the visa issuance process. "If the admission letters were counterfeit and there were issues with the documentation, why were the students granted visas in the first place?" He highlights that after the students enrolled in their respective colleges and completed their education, their visas were converted into work permits. It is now, after the students' entire journey has concluded that they are being informed that their documents were fraudulent.
Chandhok further adds, “This scam had been operating for a considerable duration, seemingly on autopilot, and it is perplexing that the Canadian government failed to detect it. They boast of having one of the most efficient and effective visa systems. Therefore, it raises concerns that this supposedly efficient visa system lacks the capability to identify or flag errors when fraudulent documents are submitted. If the students were deemed ineligible for Canadian visas, then the question arises: why were they granted visas in the first place? These students are not conspirators; they are victims. The Canadian government must implement robust systems to rectify their existing processes’ flaws.”
Surinder Singh Madan, the Founder and Chairman of The Indo Canada Education Council (ICEC), has been in touch with government officials from both India and Canada on the issue. Acknowledging that the scam is part of a larger cartel, Madan says that both governments must share responsibility and provide relief to all the victims. “By the time the CBSA had discovered the fraud, it was too late, as the students had already obtained all legal documents, including study permits and visas, and had paid their full fees. The Canadian government should have conducted a diligent screening process to prevent such issues. Both governments should now launch a complete crackdown on this larger cartel, identify all victims and perpetrators and help the victims see through this crisis,” asserts Madan.
Amardeep Singh, an Immigration Consultant closely monitoring the case, states, “Based on my knowledge, there were 254 cases of students that were brought to the attention of the government. Among those, 84 cases were actively being dealt with by the Canadian government. Of these, 10 students have already returned to India, while the remaining students are pleading before the Canadian government. However, it is important to note that these figures only scratch the surface, as numerous other fraudulent agents are still operating, and both Indian and Canadian agents, including some officials associated with the Canada migration scam continue to operate with impunity.”